Judgment of the Court (Eighth Chamber) of 17 July 2008 – Commission v Belgium
(Case C‑543/07)
Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Directive 2002/73/EC – Equal treatment for men and women – Access to employment – Vocational training and promotion – Working conditions – Failure to transpose within the prescribed period
1. Actions for failure to fulfil obligations – Examination of the merits by the Court – Situation to be taken into consideration – Situation on expiry of the period laid down in the reasoned opinion (Art. 226 EC) (see para. 9)
2. Member States – Obligations – Implementation of directives – Failure to fulfil obligations – National system pleaded as justification – Not permissible (Art. 226 EC) (see para. 11)
Re:
Failure of a Member State to fulfil obligations – Failure to adopt, within the prescribed period, the provisions necessary to comply with Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions (OJ 2002 L 296, p. 15). |
Operative part
The Court:
1. |
Declares that, by failing to adopt, within the prescribed period, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions necessary to comply with Directive 2002/73/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 September 2002 amending Council Directive 76/207/EEC on the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions, the Kingdom of Belgium has failed to fulfil its obligations under that directive; |
2. |
Orders the Kingdom of Belgium to pay the costs. |